Surgical implants are generally used in repair or reconstruction of bone fractures, defects, tumors, or other maladies. These surgical procedures may involve the attachment or reattachment of soft tissue to locations in the body, such as to the surgical implant itself. For example, surgical procedures in the proximal tibia, proximal femur, and shoulder may involve repositioning soft tissue and even attaching it to the implant for a successful reconstruction procedure.
Soft tissues are typically attached to implants by sutures, often through suture openings located on the implant. By way of example but not limitation, a fracture occurring in the proximal region of the humerus may require a shoulder stem prosthesis cemented into the humeral medullary canal. The prosthesis may include multiple suture holes by which soft tissues, such as various tendons of the rotator cuff, can be secured to the prosthesis. Attaching sutures to an implant may require considerable time, skill and effort, as it may involve successfully threading the suture through these suture holes and then securing the suture to the implant (e.g., by tying a knot in the suture). Manipulation of sutures through the narrow suture holes, which are often located in tight, inaccessible locations, can be challenging, especially during surgery.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved implant with attachment features and a method of attaching to the same.